Build a flying sleigh with Aira Windwhistler, the Wind Elf. Fly up to the clouds pulled by Starshine and Rufus, the 2 winged horses, and help the LEGO Elves find the magic wind key they need to send their lost friend Emily Jones back to the human world.

Load up the chest with biscuits for the journey and then follow the magic map with Aira and Azari Firedancer, the Fire Elf, to an ancient windmill in the sky. Miku the baby dragon has the last key, but how will the elf friends get it from her? Help Aira muster her magic wind powers to blow biscuits towards Miku and distract her long enough to grab the key.

This was a lovely set to put together with just over 300 pieces....Stu took charge of this one but the girls did most of it themselves...

Ellie was rather taken with the horses and the extending wings on the sligh...It is such a cute set and has already had a lot of use...Ellie has named the horses herself....They are now called Linda & Bertie....I have no idea where those names have come from....Linda came on the school run with us yesterday morning and flew all the way.....

The LEGO Elves have completed their quest to find all 4 magic keys needed to open the portal and send Emily Jones back to the human world. Now Emily and Naida Riverheart, the Water Elf, must make their way through the obstacles in the amazing Sky Castle to reach the portal while Skyra, the guardian of the portal, watches on from above with her owl, Nascha.

Help the elves make their way through the overgrown entrance and use Naida's magic water powers to find the secret door in the spa behind the waterfall. Then reveal the enchanted staircase to get past the lava kitchen and overcome Skyra's protective Pegasus, to place all 4 keys into the portal. When you finally face Skyra, convince her to open the portal using her staff. Who knows when Emily will visit the incredible universe of the LEGO Elves again?

Wow! What a set! It has over 800 pieces and this is the biggest set which we have ever completed....It took a couple of hours at least....It was well worth it when we saw the finished castle....Ellie got a bit bored towards the end but we had a
great time....There was a few fiddly bits....I don't think the portal is on correctly but it looks good enough.....The girls needed my help more than with other sets but it was a great activity to do together....

This set is obviously aimed at older children as there is so much to put together but it is a fantastic challenge.

There is so much detail...All the flowers, the oven which opened, the cookies, the staircase, the secret door and the little fruit bowl with fruit....So cute!

Ellie wanted to make a video to show off the LEGO Elves sets and here it is.....She thought of what to say herself and needed no prompting from me.....(She does have her posh voice on....hehehe)

We loved both of these sets....They took a good few hours to put together but it kept the girls amused and they love the end result....We made them on Sunday afternoon and Ellie has played with them everyday since....So far she hasn't taken the castle to bits! (Phew! I may cry if she did, after all the work we did....lol) This is great for imaginative play....

Ellie has already been online to look at the other sets in the LEGO Elves range and has decided she wants them all....lol

We were sent these LEGO sets free of charge for the purpose of this
review....This is our honest review....All thoughts and opinions are mine and my girls!!

Monday, 29 June 2015

Last weeks meal plan didn't really go to plan.....On Wednesday the Lasagne was postponed because we wanted a fry up and we went all out and had sausages, bacon, fried eggs, beans, tomatoes and mushrooms.....We were going to have the Lasagne on Thursday but we didn't get in from Becky's parents evening until after 6pm so we called on Domino's again.....

I'm getting quite annoyed with Domino's....We order the feed 6 for £4 each deal where you get 2 big pizzas, a garlic bread pizza, wedges and a bottle of pop....We're not pigs! We don't eat it all in one evening we have some the next day for lunch.....Anyway they forgot to send our garlic bread again.....It's the 3rd time so we complained and next time we order we have to ring them and they have said we can have a couple of free desserts! Yum!!

Friday we ended up eating out of the freezer because I was having a rare night out....hehehe and Saturday we had sandwiches and cakes because I just didn't feel like cooking.....The pints I drank the previous night had nothing to do with it....I had a good clear out of all my clothes that I never wear and that set me off going through the kids wardrobes too the day ended with me sorting out the bedrooms and I was knackered....lol

Friday, 26 June 2015

This week it has been all about school....So it has to be my word of the week....

Last night it was Becky's first proper parents evening where we got to meet all of her teachers...I am so blinking proud of her...I expected her to be at the levels she should be but on quite a few subjects she is working better than she should be...French, Science, Maths, Cookery & ICT! The French teacher said she is one of the best in the class and when she picks her GCSE's he wants her...hehehe

Every teacher we saw said that Becky needs to speak up more in class but for her whole school life all of her teachers have said this....She is just a naturally quiet person....

Becky has had
issues with this one girl....Not exactly bullying but the said girl has
made her feel uncomfortable by giving her dirty looks, pointing and
talking behind her back....I thought it was just Becky being over
sensitive....She wasn't, this little brat stood at the other side of the
room and stood and pointed at Becky sniggered with her friends and gave
Becky such a horrible look then had the cheek to do it to me too....I
was livid and did so well to bite my tongue knowing the next person we
were to see was the head of year! Ha! It is being dealt with...They are
aware of this girls attitude. Grr!Tomorrow is Ellie's sports day and the school's summer fair which I have been helping with....I'm not too happy with it though....A person in the school, one of the staff said "it isn't much of a fair, there should be more stalls and things"...Easy for her to say. There is only about 6 or 7 of us able to help on the day and there just are not enough hands...The teachers can't help as they have their classes and the teaching assistants are doing the face painting and manning the bouncy castle...I left school so stressed yesterday....I made a point of saying whatever stall I am on I don't care...When it's Ellie's turn to race I will be downing tools and watching her! People will have to go without drinks and cakes for Ellie's half hour time slot...

After today 15 more school days until the summer holidays! Yes, I am counting!

Thursday, 25 June 2015

This time last year Becky my eldest girl was finishing her time in year 6 and her Primary school education....She was excited about starting Secondary school....Me not so much! I worried about everything. It is a big change going from primary to secondary school but we have just about got through the first year and I wanted to share a few things which we have realised....

There is less communication! I rarely get letters home now....The only letters I get are one's about school trips and parents evening....lol There is no newsletters and Becky is given information that she is meant to pass on to me by word of mouth....I get the odd text message reminding about the term dates but that is it.....

As it is a big school it is nearly impossible to speak to someone....We found that out when we feared Becky had gone missing! I have never been able to get through to Becky's head of year yet!

Becky is in charge of what she eats....At break time they have a tuck shop which sells sweets and drinks and a snack bar which sells pizza, baguettes and things like that but at lunch time it is slightly healthier....Becky will quite happily spend £2 a day on rubbish but I have to trust her not to....

I miss going to class assemblies, sports day and other events at the school.....The only time we are invited to the school is for the Christmas concert & parents evening....

I was worried about Becky mixing with the older children....Becky was also slightly worried about all them too but the majority of them have been kind and helpful....A couple of days into her first days of secondary school some year 8's were pointing and laughing but it was only because they were in the same position the year before I'm sure....

I am so glad I made a copy of Becky's timetable because she has lost her planner a couple of times and didn't have a clue what lessons she had the next day!

Becky nearly never bothered getting a locker as the padlock was a real faff to open....She is so glad she persevered because now she can leave everything in her locker at school instead of carrying it about....Including her P.E kit.....Eww! It was there until Easter before she remembered to bring it home to wash. lol

The school is huge and Becky has gone to the wrong classroom a few time....It's bound to happen considering they move classrooms each lesson....The good thing was on the first day back there was only the new starters and Year 11's in the school which gave them a day to get used to their new surroundings...

On Becky's first day Stu walked her to school just to make sure she knew the way (She did, but I worried)....It made sure we knew the exact time she had to leave every morning....She now does the walk herself and meets friends on the way....

Everyone has a phone and it wasn't long before Becky started asking for one too....We got her one not because she wanted it but because she walks too and from school and it put our mind at ease a bit....She texts me now when she gets to school and again is on her way home....It makes me feel happier....

Over the summer holidays Becky was given a lot of homework to do....I wrote about it - Unfair Summer Homework! She had essays to write and tests & projects to do....Well since then she has had hardly any....A few online tests and that's about it.....It still baffles me why all the summer homework was given out as hardly any of it was asked for....

Detentions happen with no notice....Becky has had a few five and ten minute detentions....It hasn't been her fault the whole class got them....

Becky
has found the lessons more interesting....She has had dedicated lessons
to things she had only touched on in primary school....Cooking, science
with real chemicals, drama, music and dance.....

Since starting secondary school Becky has really came out of her shell....I was slightly worried about her starting year 7 as she was quiet and a little shy.....I needn't have worried.

Just because your child is best friends with someone in primary school it doesn't mean they will be in secondary..... Becky has made a lot of new friends that she didn't know this time last year....They are totally different from the people she used to be friends with. Her old friends are lovely but her new friends are more like her and share the same interests....

And finally I shouldn't have worried so much....Becky has had a great year and settled in so well....Bring on Year 8!!

Wednesday, 24 June 2015

I found this on my Timehop from 4 years ago....Ellie was about 3 and a half.....Excuse the hair.....She had given her self a haircut! She did have a fascination for chopping her fringe....but this is what happens when your child goes on the computer for a little too long....They go CRAZY!

Tuesday, 23 June 2015

I was recently asked if I would like to join the Baker Ross bloggers network.....In case you didn't know who Baker Ross are, they sell a lot of craft goodies and are one of the leading suppliers of arts & crafts to schools, playgroups and organisations in the UK....

Baker Ross sent us a box of goodies last week and the kids and I had a great time with the contents....

First up we did the Gnome Wooden Windchimes which are £3.49 for four and we used the Acrylic Deco Pens to colour them in which cost £9.99 for 5 pens which at first I thought was expensive...

I hadn't seen pens like these before....Full of water-based acrylic paint. We were a bit baffled when we tried to use them and nothing came out until we gave them a shake and pressed on the nib....They were lovely to use....Painting but without the mess of the paint....These are something I will definitely use and buy in the future....I understand the price now....They can be used on wood, porcelain, glass and paper...

Ellie had great fun colouring in the gnomes....I did one too and really enjoyed it....They are very cute and now we just need to find somewhere to hang them....

By the time Becky had got in from school we were ready to start on the next activity which was the Rainbow lacing decoration kit....

Younger children may find this a bit fiddly but Becky did it with no help at all and Ellie only needed a little help tying the knots....They both found it great fun and they now have the rainbows hanging in their bedroom....These are so pretty and very cute.

Finally we tried out the Wooden Weaving Frame Kits which cost £3.49...In each kit you get 4 different frames, a square, circle, triangle and hexagon and strands of yarn.....

The girls had fun doing this but we did find the wool was fraying and snapped a couple of times when it was going through the wood....It was a good activity which kept them busy for a little while but not our favourite.....

These kits and gave us an hour or so of fun and kept the girls off their computers, tablets and away from the TV which is always a good thing....

We still have a couple of things left to use....The sticky jewels, little mini bags and the alien thingies with googly eyes....We will get around to using them...

At a few pound for a set of 4 things these would be ideal for a rainy day activity or for birthday parties....We are very happy to be part of the Baker Ross Blogger Network!

I was sent these products free of charge for the purpose of this
review....This is my honest review....All thoughts and opinions are my
own!!

Monday, 22 June 2015

We ate everything on last weeks meal plan well apart from yesterday....We were supposed to be going out for a meal for Fathers day but it was raining on and off and so we had a lazy day watching the TV....Oh and Stu fixed the it so we can watch YouTube videos on the TV....A lot of our time was spent watching the SacconeJoly's.....

The
kids did make me laugh with the sausage sandwiches we had last week....They
didn't want the normal red sauce....They choose sweet chilli
sauce....The little weirdo's....lol

We have quite a few things on this week....Becky's first parents evening at secondary school....Ellie's sports day and the school summer fair which I am helping with....The theme of the week is quick and no faffing!

Saturday, 20 June 2015

Doing Project 365 sure makes you realise how quickly the year is flying over....Nearly half way through the year....Eek! I've been a bit rubbish at taking photos this week...I have managed one every day though....Phew!

164/365. 13th June 2015

The gorgeous gift set I won from Two Hearts One Roof arrived....It was swiftly hidden away for fathers day.

165/365. 14th June 2015

Ellie wanted sparkly nails so she got them :)

166/365. 15th June 2015

Becky had her fortnightly cookery lesson at school.....Cookies!! She saved Ellie, Stu and me one which I thought was so kind of her!

167/365. 16th June 2015

I often see this car driving about but saw it parked and had to have a photo....A real life Noddy car....hehehe

168/365. 17th June 2015

Another fathers day present for Stu....We've been watching Breaking Bad again so I thought this was a good choice.

169/365. 18th June 2015

I have realised I need new socks....lol Every pair I have has holes in....The shame. (Yes this was a panic photo when I realised I hadn't taken one for Thursday....hehehe)

170/365. 19th June 2015

The girls spent some of their pocket money on recorders.....Why my fella Stu allowed it, I don't know.....I have a feeling these will be getting lost real soon....

Friday, 19 June 2015

This has been one of those weeks were nothing much has happened......We have plodded along with life quite happily.

My word of the week is:

After a rough few days with Ellie and her behavior she went into school and was a little madam....Her behavior book wasn't working anymore so they have decided to carry on with the book but also go back to giving her stickers...Since they have Ellie has been sent home with some lovely little messages from her teacher which has made me smile...

Especially the one saying "What has happened has an alien swapped with her?" Her behavior has been so different these past few days and it has been lovely....It has been like having a different girl at home....

Each afternoon when Becky has finished school she texts me....Usually just to say hello or ask what we're having for tea....Yesterday I decided to text her first and this is what happened....lol I do love the messages from her. It's a good job we get free text messages to each other....

I would like to say thank you to everyone who sent me messages and replied to my I'm not going to Britmums post....You are all lovely! When I wrote the post I felt like I was the only person not going to Britmums Live, felt like the only one who worried about traveling and being away from home and felt it would hold me back in blogging....The messages and replies I received were really reassuring and supportive and I feel a lot better about things now.....

Do have a lovely time at Britmums if you are going....I can't wait to follow along on Twittter!!

Thursday, 18 June 2015

It's coming up to Fathers Day and to celebrate Curry's are giving us the chance to win a 48 inch TV from Samsung’s curved range worth around £1,800....I have seen these TV's and they look amazing and would make a perfect gift for any dad.....

1. Rick Grimes - The Walking Dead!

It's hard to raise children in a normal world but Sheriff Rick Grimes is doing it while surviving a zombie apocalypse...

He
fought to get back to his wife and son at the start of the show and
when he finally did he did everything he could to protect them even if
that meant killing people who threatened his family - (Shane)....

He shows all the qualities that all fathers strive for...Leadership skills, strength, and loyalty...After his wife gave birth he may have went a little mad but giving the circumstances he can have a free pass on that one....

He has protected his son Carl and his baby daughter Judith in all sorts of situations...In a world where you fight to live he has taught his son Carl how to use weapons against the Walkers while still trying to maintain his son’s morality and innocence.....He might be a bit overprotective but if anyone has the right to be he does....

Rick is the kind of dad you need in a zombie apocalypse!

2. Burt Hummel - Glee

Burt Hummel on Glee was so under rated and under used.....He is a working class guy, bringing his son Kurt up by himself after his wife died....When Kurt came out he didn't bat an eyelid....He was Kurt's biggest supporter, pushing him to try new things (singing a supposedly girls song Defying Gravity), stand up for himself and to be proud of who he is!! The bond they share is amazing and as much as he taught his son he learned a lot too.....

He also gave his son the best Graduation present ever! A performance of Beyonce's Single Ladies....Brilliant!

When you need support Burt is the dad for you!

3. Walter White - Breaking BadBear with me on this one.....Everyone knows Walter White was a drug dealer/cook....He killed people, lied and did bad things BUT he did have good intentions when he started.....He found out that he had lung cancer, has a new baby on the way and is poor....He discovers that he can cook crystal meth better than anyone and Pow! That is the money problem sorted....

His entire motive for the situation he got himself into was so he could save money for his family for after he is gone.....I know if I found out I was going to die I would do anything I could to make sure my kids would be OK after I had passed away....Why not go out in a blaze of glory!!.....It goes to show he is a caring dad and would do anything for his children....It was just a shame he got greedy....

Walter White is the dad you don't want to argue with!

4. Homer Simpson

I have to include Homer.....He has been there nearly my whole life....I love him and my kids love him now....

Homer isn't the best role model.....He is lazy, rude, clumsy eats and drinks too much and may strangle his son every now and again....

His parenting style is a bit unorthodox but his heart is always in the right place....He'd do anything for his kids....Remember when he tried to jump Springfield Gorge just to prove to Bart how hard it is to see a family member do something dangerous? hehehe

Homer has also been a boxer, mascot, astronaut, plow driver, mayor, grifter and fortune cookie writer....How many other dads can say they have accomplished all of that.

Homer is the dad who does care while acting the fool!

5. Jim Royal - The Royal Family

Jim Royal may be unhygienic, slobby and lazy but he reminds me so much of my dad....Not for the reasons I have just mentioned though.....It's his bad jokes, being a miser with his money and his toilet habits that make me think of my dad....Oh and the words he uses. "Tom tit" and "Arse" are two of my dads favourite words....

There are times when I have watched the show and thought my dad has or would say that....Especially when it comes to having the heating on or asking him for money....hehehe Jim Royal isn't the most caring dad....He doesn't show his emotions a lot like my dad but when something big is happening he does show that caring side he has hidden away....

If you are not a blogger this post and don't know what Britmums Live is I will explain....

BritMums Live! is the UK’s biggest, two-day social media conference and blogger event where lifestyle bloggers and social influencers gather to meet, socialise, network with brands, improve their skills and fire their creativity....

This isn't a post to bash those going to Britmums Live or to be negative about the event.....I think it is a great event and there is fair few bloggers I would love to meet....I actually sort of wish I was going but the reasons I can't/won't are far bigger than the reasons I could....Well to me they are...

This is a just post about why I'm not going....My feelings. It isn't a pity party.

When I first started blogging and I first heard about Britmums Live I thought I could never attend I am so shy....I mean really shy usually the thought of meeting new people would make me feel sick but for once this isn't the worry.....It feels like I know a lot of the bloggers attending already through reading their blogs....

There is the money aspect.....Stu and I manage our money well and have enough to feed, house, clothe, pay the bills, for Christmas, birthdays and a few treats but not much left over....I would have to pay for a hotel, travel, food, drink, clothes and of course the ticket then have hoped I could find a sponsor....I couldn't/didn't want to risk not being able to find a sponsor....That would be hundreds of pounds which I couldn't afford to pay....

I know a few people from the North East are traveling down to London but the thought of traveling really bothered me.....An hour on the bus to Newcastle then three or four more on the train to London, then there is getting from the station to the event...Eek!....I don't travel well. I get anxious and that is when I'm with Stu or the kids just going to Newcastle....I can't imagine the state I would be on a train going to somewhere I don't know and I don't know London at all....The furthest south I have been is Northampton when I was a child....

A few months ago we went to the Metro Arena which is near the train station in Newcastle.....We the Metro in to Newcastle Central Station and I could feel myself panicking and that was just passing through not actually getting on a train....I didn't like the hustle and bustle of it and this was just Newcastle....I imagine London to be a million times busier!

I don't really want to leave my girls.....I know they would be absolutely fine but I worry....

I can't sleep alone.....I really can't! The last time I did was before I had Becky.....Even when I split with Becky's dad and was single she slept in my bed.....If Stu is out on an evening I will either not go to bed until he is in or have Ellie in bed with me....

Going by this years agenda it finishes about 5pm and it would mean rushing to catch the train back to Newcastle....I would be panicking about the time. I would have to be back by quarter past ten at the latest to be able to get up to the bus station. Which would mean a walk through the city center alone....The last bus home from Newcastle is at 11pm.....If I miss that I will be sleeping on the street....lol A taxi would cost about £40 which I couldn't afford....I could always leave Britmums Live early but I would feel annoyed missing the last few hours....

So that's it....It might seem like sorry excuses to some people but it's my choice and my feelings....One year maybe I will get over my worries and attend....

Everyone who is going I hope you have the best time....I will be following along on Twitter and will probably be kicking myself for being such scaredy-cat....

Tuesday, 16 June 2015

We love chocolate here....We have never made our own chocolate bars before....That was until the weekend! We were sent a couple of the Make-A-Bar Chocolate Factory Kits to try out....

Make-A-Bar Chocolate Factory uses 100% Belgian chocolate, for a really tasty ‘home-made’ treat! Simple and easy to use, Make-A-Bar Chocolate Factory comes complete with all the ingredients you need to make your yummy chocolate bar. The possibilities really are endless with this craft kit! In the kit you get Dark, White & Milk Belgian chocolate, a re-useable activity tray, eight stencils to choose from and an instruction leaflet.

You put the packets of chocolate in a bowl of warm water to melt them which only took a couple of minutes....While they were melting my girls chose a stencil each....Ellie chose the word "EPIC" and Becky chose some lips....We stuck the stencils to the bottom of the plastic tray cut the corner of the sachet with the dark chocolate and the girls got on making their masterpieces....The instructions were easy to understand and Becky could have quite easily made this without my help....Ellie needed a little assistance....

They then filled in the white bits with the white chocolate and used the milk chocolate to totally cover their designs....They then left it to set in the fridge for about half an hour.....

The end results were fantastic! I was very impressed....I think we will have to have a go at making more of these....The bars must have tasted great to the girls because they were gone in seconds....I managed to have the tiniest taste and it did taste pretty amazing....

These kits cost £3.99 and are suitable for children over 4 years old.....There isn't anything that could harm younger children it would just be quite fiddly for them....These would make a great rainy day activity and they would be great to give someone as a gift....This is something I would definitely use again....The girls said they loved it too and already want to make more....I
was sent the Make-A-Bar Chocolate Factory kit free of charge for the purpose of this
review....This is my honest review....All thoughts and opinions are my
own!!